Students killed in Bamfield bus crash were teens from Manitoba and U.S.

The two University of Victoria studentskilled in a rollover bus crash between Port Alberni and Bamfield, B.C., onFriday night have been identified as teenagers from Manitoba and Iowa.

The Canadian woman has been identified as Emma Machado, who had recently moved to Victoria from her hometown of Winnipeg.The American man has been identified as John Geerdesby his high school soccer coach.

Both students were 18, the B.C. Coroners Service said in an emailed statementMonday.

Machado and Geerdes died at the scene after the buscrashed on the gravel logging road and flipped down an embankment late Friday. The UVic students were headed on an annual weekend field trip to theBamfield Marine Sciences Centre.

B.C. Emergency Health Services said 17 people were taken to hospital after the crash:two in critical condition, one in serious condition, and 14 others in stable condition. Around 30 more people were transported from the crash scene.

One student remained in hospital as of Sunday evening.

The Machado family are planning to travel to B.C. to collect Emma's body. She had moved to Victoria from Winnipeg to begin her first year of university two weeks before the crash.

"She was a strong, young woman who was just kind of hitting her stride," Ethel MacIntosh, Emma's mother, told CBC Manitoba."She loved the idea of going to Victoria.

"We were devastated ... our lives will never be the same."

'He had a big heart'

Jose Fajardo coached Geerdesin soccer for three years at Iowa City High School and spoke to him on Sept. 2,two weeks before he had left for Canada.

In an interview with CBC, Fajardo said Geerdes wasn't the most talented player, but what he lacked in talent he made up for with his character in leaps and bounds.

"He never gave up it was impossible for me to say no to him because of his commitment, his dedication, his hard work, his passion for doing what's right,"Fajardosaid.

Geerdes' coach describes him asabig man with a big heartwhose hard work inspired others:

Former coach of bus crash victim: he had a big heart for everyone

5 years ago

Duration 1:57

Jose Fajardo coached John Geerdes, who died in a bus crash in Bamfield, B.C., for three years. Fajardo says Geerdes wasn't the most talented player, but his hard work, passion and ability to make everyone feel special made him a very likeable person.

"When I saw his human side, it connected all the dots. This is not just a person who wants to be special as a soccer player or academically. He's just special because he's special, period."

His team held a meeting Monday morning to talk about Geerdes' death and share their memories of him.

Fajardotexted Geerdes'mom the day hefound out and offered his support. He believes the family is now in Canada to bring Geerdes' body back to Iowa.

Alcohol ruled out as factor in crash

On Monday, RCMP said a second driver who was driving in the area around the time the bus crashed remained at the scene and provided assistance to Mounties.

A statement from police said the cause of the crash remains under investigation, including whether the seconddriver played any role in the collision.

RCMP said alcohol has been ruled out as a contributing factor.

"This incident is an absolute tragedy," RCMPInsp.Brian Hunter, detachment commander for the Port Alberni RCMP, wrote in the statement.

"On behalf of all our investigators, our deepest condolences go out to the families who have lost a loved one."

The 2001 Prevost bus was towed from the scene on Saturday. Most of its windows were shattered and its exterior blackened with dirt and mud.

Locals have long called for improvements to the logging road, saying the dangers have been apparent for decades.

The stretch of road has been described as rough and challenging, riddledwith potholes and bits of gravel that can actlike marbles under rubber wheels. There is no cellphone service along the road, which is the primary route in and out of the small community of Bamfield.

It was dark and pouringrain when the bus left the road on Friday.

"We in Bamfieldhave knownfor quite some time that the safety issue on that road is one of our prime concerns," said Chief Councillor Robert Denniswith the local Huu-ay-aht First Nations, who was one of the first to come across the crash site on Friday.

"I've been knocking on every Liberal government, every NDP government, toget our road fixed."

Huu-ay-aht First Nations's Robert Dennis describes what he saw when he arrived on scene:

Local chief councillor describes scene at bus crash site near Bamfield, B.C.

5 years ago

Duration 1:08

Chief Councillor Robert Dennis, with the local Huu-ay-aht First Nations, was one of the first people to come across the scene of a crash that killed two University of Victoria students on Sept. 13, 2019.

Transportation Minister Claire Trevenasaid she's heard the concerns about the road.

"Ministry officials have been looking into the issue to determine if safety improvements could be made. The situation is complex as this is a private, industrial road, operated and maintained by private companies for active forestry operations," Trevena said in a written statement.

Bus equipped with seatbelts, company says

John Wilson, owner of Wilson's Transportation, confirmed its bus was the one involved in the crash. Wilsonsaid the driver was experienced and had driver training certification. Wilson said the driver sustained non-life-threatening injuries and had been released from hospital.

A company statement said the bus was equipped with seatbelts, though it is not known how many onboard were wearing their belts at the time of the crash. B.C.'s Motor Vehicle Act requires all drivers and passengers to use seatbelts if the vehicle is equipped with them.

The RCMPand coroner's service areinvestigating the cause of the crash.